Category Archives: Apartment Building

Apartment Building, Residential

McKinney, TX – Sprinkler system activated for cooking fire at apartment complex

The McKinney Fire Department responded to a structure fire call at the Mason Apartments located at 1300 Eldorado Pkwy on Saturday.

Firefighters arrived to find that three fire sprinklers had been set off by a cooking fire on the stovetop. The fire sprinklers did their job by containing and extinguishing the flames.

One occupant was transported as a precaution and damage was limited to a single apartment.

“That this fire set off three fire sprinklers shows how quickly the fire was spreading,” said Merit Ossian, Public Information Officer and Education Coordinator. “Luckily, this apartment had sprinklers, or this could have been much worse.”

Apartment Building, Residential, Uncategorized

Renton, WA – Sprinkler system contains fire to one room

An apartment fire was taken down early this morning and the sprinkler system helped allow residents to evacuate before it was too late.

The Renton Fire Department (RFD) said the fire started in the 300 block of S. 2nd around 3:30 a.m.

Crews had to immediately call for a full alarm when they arrived with smoke and fire bursting out of the home.

Skyway Fire, King County medics and the Tukwila Fire Department all ended up coming to help.

RFD officials have not yet determined how the fire started, the person who went to the hospital suffered smoke inhalation.

Firefighters say the building sprinkler system actually helped contain the fire itself to one room.

Apartment Building, Residential

Beaufort, SC – Sprinkler system extinguishes grease fire at apartment complex

A grease fire at an apartment in Beaufort County has left one family displaced.

The fire broke out shortly before 8:30 p.m. on Friday at the Magnolia Park Apartments on Laurel Bay Road, according to the Burton Fire District.

The Burton Fire District, MCAS Fire Department, Beaufort County EMS and Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office all responded.

BFD said the apartment’s sprinkler system kicked on and extinguished the fire prior to firefighters’ arrival.

When firefighters did arrive on scene, they said they found a single sprinkler head that activated above a stove where the grease fire had erupted. Firefighters stopped the flow of water from the sprinkler head, which produces approximately 25 gallons of water a minute, until the complex’s maintenance personnel restored the system.

Due to smoke and water in the apartment, the family of six that lived there was displaced. Red Cross is now assisting the family.

Burton fire officials said that while the family of this apartment had to be temporarily relocated, the families in the other five apartments were able to return home.

“A fire doubles in size every 18-30 seconds, and even with a less than three-minute response by firefighters, without that sprinkler system and single sprinkler head, the fire would have devastated that apartment and caused damages throughout the building, possibly displacing all six families,” said Burton Fire District Community Support Officer Capt. Daniel Byrne.

Apartment Building, Residential

Westfield, MA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

Two families are left without a home following a fire in a Westfield apartment complex Tuesday night.

Fire officials told Western Mass News that this was not the first fire in that same apartment building.

Back in 2018, a fire in Building 5 of the Powder Mill Village displaced everyone living there. On Tuesday, another fire in that same building displaced two families.

The Fire Department credited a new sprinkler system for saving lives and stopping the flames.

“I laughed and thought it was somebody that just over cooked their supper,” said Sheila Elmer.

Elmer’s family is now without a home after a fire broke out in the apartment above hers, also leaving her handicapped husband and autistic son with just the clothes on their backs.

“We’ve lost most of everything,” she told us. “Everything has a very bad burnt plastic smell.”

Westfield Fire officials told Western Mass News that they responded to the fire in Building 5 of Powder Mill Village around 6 p.m. on Tuesday night and that the cause has been identified as an unattended candle.

Deputy Fire Chief Seth Ellis said that a fire in the same building close to 4 years ago displaced the entire building. It has since been rebuilt, and because of new laws, a sprinkler system had to be installed, which he said ultimately saved lives.

“The sprinkler system that was installed in the building after a serious fire in 2018 extinguished the fire for the most part prior to the fire department arrival and prevented this from being a much worse incident,” Deputy Chief Ellis explained.

Elmer said that if it was not for the sprinkler system, her family may not have gotten out in time.

“If the sprinkler wasn’t there, it would’ve caught on fire and burnt multiple, again like last time,” she told us.

She said that her husband is in the hospital after having difficulty breathing and her son’s therapy cat is missing, but she is glad everyone is safe and is hopeful her family will be able to find a handicapped accessible apartment quickly.

“We have a lot of support,” said Elmer. “The immediate need is just getting us a place to live. I have fourteen dollars in the bank. I’m not going to get anywhere with that. It’s too cold to be in the car; my husband and son can’t be in the car. I can, but not them.”

The fire department said that some of the other buildings in the complex have partial sprinkler systems in place but Building 5 is the only building with a full system. They also recommended using electronic candles instead of an open flame. No injuries were reported.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

A fire sprinkler system did its job at a Madison apartment complex Sunday.

Crews were called to the complex in the 200 block of North Walbridge Avenue just after 11 a.m.

Officials said a resident on the third floor had heated oil on a stovetop, which caused a fire. The fire sprinkler system was activated, extinguishing the flames.

No injuries were reported and no occupants were displaced. Officials said the fire caused about $1,500 worth of damage.

Apartment Building, Residential

Circleville, OH – Sprinkler system activated for third-floor apartment fire; No injuries reported

A fire has been reported in an apartment in Everts Hill located at 532 South Court Street in Circleville around 6:30 pm on Monday.

According to early reports, smoke and fire have been seen in a third-floor apartment. The building was evacuated and many of the residents are in the cold.

Update from Chief Thompson, a small fire in the bedroom of 3rd-floor apartment, sprinkler system contained the fire. Smoke and fire damage was contained to one apartment only, but five additional units were damaged with water from the system.

All other residents returned to their homes, the six units affected are being helped by a red cross. Management is on the scene now for clean-up and contacting the appropriate fire service companies. No injuries were reported in the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Naperville, IL – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

Naperville Fire Department extinguished a structure fire in 2100 Block of Allegre Circle on Naperville’s northwest side. No injuries reported. (PN file photos are used to help flag reports about Naperville Fire and Police Department responses to emergency calls and Crime Stoppers, always reminding readers that keeping the community safe is everyone’s responsibility.) Be alert. Stay safe.

At 7:17PM on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, Naperville’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) received a call for the structure fire in the 2100 block of Allegre Circle. Naperville 911(PSAP) dispatched a general alarm assignment consisting of 10 pieces of fire apparatus and 24 personnel including an Incident Commander and Incident Safety Officer to the reported address.

At 7:21PM, the first unit arrived on scene and found a three-story apartment building with a fire in unit 209. Incident command was established, and a 360-degree survey was conducted of the building. Fire companies quickly ascended to the second floor with hose lines and found a sprinkler head activated in the unit. The sprinkler held the fire in check until fire companies could fully extinguish it.

The fire was contained to unit 209 and was fully extinguished at 7:28PM.

The North Aurora and West Chicago fire departments provided coverage to Naperville fire stations during this incident. The cause is fire is still under investigation. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians.

Only two units (109 & 209) were deemed to be uninhabitable by the Naperville Transportation, Engineering, and Development Team. A total of four residents were displaced and the fire is estimated to have caused $20,000 in
damages.

Apartment Building, Residential

Duluth, MN – Sprinkler system activated for second-floor apartment fire; No injuries reported

All tenants at the Burke Apartments in Duluth are temporarily displaced due to water damage from a sprinkler system responding to the fire. The apartment building provides affordable housing to adults with disabilities.

A fire was reported around 9:30 a.m. Monday in a second-floor unit at Burke Apartments, 720 Maple Grove Road, Duluth. It triggered a sprinkler system to activate, causing water damage to nearly all 21 units in the building. A news release from the Duluth Fire Department said the sprinkler system kept the flames in check and no one was injured.

Of the 21 units in the two-story apartment building, 16 were occupied at the time of the fire. Tenants evacuated the building prior to the firefighters’ arrival. According to the Duluth Fire Marshal’s Office, the cause of the fire was accidental.

All tenants are temporarily displaced due to the water damage. Fire and water damage is estimated at $55,000, according to the Duluth Police Department. Property manager Accessible Space is providing tenants with assistance until they can return to the building. The Burke Apartments provide affordable housing for adults with disabilities.

Fire crews from Duluth Heights, Spirit Valley and Duluth Fire Headquarters used vacuums and other equipment to attempt to remove water from the affected units. A local damage mitigation company will assist in the cleanup.

Apartment Building, Residential

Jackson, WY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

At 10:40 a.m. this morning, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS responded to a structure fire at the Blair Place Apartment Complex.

Upon arrival, first responders observed flames coming from the third floor of apartment building 245. 

After arriving on the scene, firefighters were able to successfully control the fire which was contained to the third floor and roof, causing fire damage to two apartments according to Battalion Chief Mike Moyer. Other units on the first and second floors experienced water damage. 

The fire alarm and sprinkler systems were activated and responsible for effectively alerting residents of the  14-unit building and for helping to control the fire.  

“This is a good reminder to make sure your fire alarms and sprinkler systems are in working condition because they do make a difference,” Moyer said.  

While all residents were able to evacuate without injury and several pets were able to be evacuated. Residents will not be able to return to their apartments at least through tonight as the fire department will conduct its investigation and property managers will assess the damage to fire alarm and suppression systems.

Apartment Building, Residential

College Station, TX – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; NO injuries reported

Residents in three units of a College Station apartment complex were relocated following a fire Monday afternoon.

College Station fire investigators found an electric skateboard battery that blew up while it was being charged.

CSFD responding to a smoke detector alert at The Zone complex found sprinklers had turned on and kept the fire from going full blown.

Firefighters found on the third floor heavy smoke and arcing electrical equipment that was shut down.

No one was injured, and the damage came from water from the sprinkler system.